sider the woman with the bloody issue.

to me I will in no wise cast out."

"Him that comes

4. If we cannot catch him, he will catch us.

Therefore cry to him now. Lay hold on, and stand in, his strength, prepared for the worst.

OUTLINE XV.

There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.—1 Kings xxii. 8.

INTRODUCTION.-False prophets multiplied. They were destroyed by Elijah. Now again they are four hundred to one. Micaiah.

I. The difference of the prophets of God and the world. 1. False prophets and wicked people talk of inquiring of the Lord; but they inquire of their own heart, of one another, and seek to please, and dread to offend, by the disagreeable truth. Therefore they are many.

2. True prophets have God and the truth on their side; but are rejected by men and hated.

II. Concerning whom we must prophesy good and evil. 1. We cannot but prophesy evil,

(1.) To impious worldlings.-Jonah, Noah, Lot.

(2.) To formalists and self-righteous pharisees.-Christ. (3.) To hypocrites.-Ananias and Peter. Paul and high priest.

(4.) To babel-builders.-They build off the rock, are daubers, build house on sand.

2. We prophesy good,

(1.) To those who are convicted of their sin. Matt. xi. 28.

(2.) To mourners in Zion. Isaiah lxi.

(3.) To conscious unbelievers, and lost sheep.

(4.) To tempted souls.-"He breaks not the bruised reed," &c.

(5.) To the persecuted for righteousness' sake.

(6.) To those who wrestle with sin.

(7.) To those of little faith.

(8.) To despairing, self-condemned sinners.

Saying, "All is ready, pardon, holiness, glory. We prophesy the good things of the promises, gospel, Canaan." APPLICATION.-1. To those who are of Ahab's mind. Those who prophesy smooth things to you are your enemies.-God's prophets speak evil, that you may avoid it.— You will know it in the end.

2. Believe, ye mourners.-When we prophesy good, reject not the delightful testimony.-Hate us not.

OUTLINE XVI.

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and off from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.-Col. i. 26-28.

I. A GREAT mystery, "Christ in us.”

1. Christ in our flesh and nature; living dying, or rising.

2. Christ in us.

Our life, motion, being, preservation.

3. Christ in us,

As our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, comforter.

4. "Hope of glory."

Present Saviour, purifying.-1 Tim. i. 5.

II. This mystery was hid from ages and generations. Especially those of stupid sinners, pharisees, and unbelievers of all sorts.-Hid from their eyes, hearts, by the curtain of ignorance, sin, and unbelief.-See Rom. xvi. 25; Eph. i. 18, and iii. 9; 2 Tim. i. 10; Tit. i. 3. "Now

made manifest" to sinners, who became saints, by believing it, by the rending of the threefold veil.

III. "The riches of the glory of this mystery."

1. It is glorious, to know God with us, and in us.—To be the temple of God, the members of Christ.

2. Glorious to Christ, to be acknowledged all in all. 3. It fits us for, and gives a sure hope and taste of, glory. "Riches."-Christ and his unsearchable riches of grace, mercy, righteousness, &c.-"God is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

IV. Ministers' duty.

1. To preach this mystery.

2. To warn every man of his danger in a state of sin, nature, unbelief.

3. To teach every man the way of faith, bliss, and glory; in all wisdom from above.

V. End of preaching.

1. "Presenting every man."

To God, to the church, to the assembly of the firstborn.

2. "Perfect in Christ Jesus."

may be

So acquainted with and living in Christ, that he dead, and his life entirely hid with Christ in God. Perfection in Christ, by dwelling in him. APPLICATION.-Sinners!-Unacquainted with this mys

tery, how miserable, guilty, ruined! Sin, the world, satan, in you,—the fear of death, judgment, and hell; not hope of glory. You we warn to flee from the wrath to come. Attend to Christ in your conscience, warning, wooing.you. Change the mystery of sin, for this "rich and glorious mystery."

Mourners. This mystery is now manifested to you. Refuse not the hope of glory. Christ is near; in you, if you believe. You we teach the way of faith, in scripture wisdom, in the very words of Christ :-He is the true wisdom.

Believers.-Grow in the knowledge and enjoying of the mystery till you are perfected, adult Christians.

OUTLINE XVII.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.-Gen. xlv. 4.

INTRODUCTION.-Search the scriptures; they testify of me

in types.

I. The behaviour of sinners towards Christ, the beloved Son.

1. They hated Joseph, and could not speak peaceably. 2. When he went in love, they conspired to slay him. 3. They stripped him of his clothes, and cast him into the pit.

4. They sat down to eat and drink.-Stupidity after sin.

5. They sold him for twenty pieces of silver.-Judas, Esau.

6. Skill in hiding their crime, and contentedness.

7. Jacob's grief."I will go down to the grave mourning."

II. Christ's humiliation and exaltation.

1. Jacob said, "I will send thee to them;" and he said, "Here I am."-"See if it be well with thy brethren."

2. Hated. ." He came to his own, and they received him not."-Cast into a pit.-Sold.-All prospers in his hand. 3. A guilty woman accused Joseph. He is condemned, imprisoned.

4. No help from the butler.-Christ's apostles forsook him and fled.

5. No friend but Jesus.-Thief.-Butler forgetful.

6. Joseph exalted, arrayed as the king, rides in his chariot. Bow the knee.-"Without thee shall no man lift up his hand in all Egypt."-Gave bread to all, bought all.

III. Christ's heart is towards sinners, and how he marifests himself to them after many trials.

1. A famine once brought his brethren to beg of Joseph. -Again, a famine brings sinners to beg of Christ.

2. Joseph saw, knew; yet at first made himself strange. 3. "Ye are spies ;" not true men.-Ye shall be proved three days.-"Bring forth Benjamin," fruit meet for repentance.-Delilah.

4. They said, "We are guilty."-This distress comes, his blood is required, Joseph heard, turned, and wept.

5. Simeon bound, corn given freely, no money required. 6. "Except you bring Benjamin,”-Delilah,-" you will see my face no more."-He is brought.

7. They must eat bread with Joseph, they bowed, Joseph made haste, retired, wept.

8. The last pang of distress :- "How shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of his servants."

66

9. Joseph refrains no longer.

All are dismissed.-Joseph manifests himself, weeps: "I am Joseph, your brother," ("I am Jesus whom thou persecutest," ) "come near: God sent me to preserve life.” Kissed them; fatness of Egypt, Goshen.

OUTLINE XVIII.

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.—1 Cor. i. 23.

INTRODUCTION." And straightway he preached Christ." Acts ix. 20.

I. What the true preaching?
Not morality; but Christ.

INSTANCES.-God in paradise. Gen. iii. 15.-God to Abraham. Gen. xii. 3.-Jacob to sons. Gen. xlix. 10.Moses. Deut. xviii, 15, 18.—Job xix. 25.-David. Psalm ii. 1.-Solomon. Prov. iii. 8; Cant. v. 9.-Isaiah liii. Jer. xviii. 6. Ezekiel xxxiv. 23. Daniel ix. 24. Hosea iii. 5. Joel ii. 28. Jonah ii. 9. Micah v. 2. Zech. ix. 9; xi. i. 10; xiii. 7. Malachi iv. 2.